As the impressive cast for Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon continues to build, the upcoming addition to the library of original Netflix movies has become even more prestigious by the moment. This latest addition is perhaps the crown jewel of such efforts, as Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins is now the latest to be cast in an unexpected role. Funny enough, his time on the HBO series Westworld should have him somewhat prepared for this part, as Sir Anthony is about to get robotic all over again.
Anthony Hopkins will be voicing a “battle robot” known as Jimmy, “an impossibly sentient JC1435 mechanized battle robot and one-time defender of the slain King” according to reporting from Deadline. Hopkins’ name is now added to a very starry roster that already includes Justice League alum Ray Fisher, Cary Elwes, Sofia Boutella, and Djimon Hounsou; among others.
Announced as Zack Snyder’s love letter to Star Wars and Akira Kurosawa, you could see Anthony Hopkins’ character of Jimmy as Rebel Moon’s C-3PO. It’s not exactly a one-for-one equivalent, as Threepio never did knowingly engage in combat. (Except for that time he swapped bodies with a Battle Droid in Attack of the Clones; but that’s technically a case of temporary insanity.)
Still, the thought of a performance where Anthony Hopkins will tear up the forces of evil in the galaxy is something that sounds better the more that you think about it. Plus, seeing as this is a vocal role, Hopkins could always return for future projects that expand Rebel Moon’s pre-planned galaxy.
Much like Zack Snyder has done through his anime spin-off Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas, there’s a lot of room for this new galaxy to grow. Should he be game to keep playing Jimmy in potential follow-ups and spin-offs, you can bet that Zack Snyder and Netflix would love to keep that train rolling. Perhaps Anthony Hopkins could even play his battle robot role in a prequel that shows him in his mechanical prime.
Sci-fi has always been a genre where unexpected casting leads to surprising results. Zack Snyder landing the voice talents of Anthony Hopkins is one of those potential scenarios, which only has us more excited about who may still be joining the cast of Rebel Moon, which began last month for an unspecified release date.
While we don’t know when this first installment will be released, we have some quick facts about Rebel Moon that are worth knowing. Keeping the uncertain release date, and the second part in the works in mind, there’s already a lot of promise for unexpected participants. In the meantime, take a look at the 2022 Netflix movie schedule to see what else is heading onto a streaming device near you.
